Feasibility of the Archercise biofeedback device to strengthen foot musculature

Marnee J Mckay,Elizabeth J Nightingale,Claire E Hiller,Penelope J Latey,Joshua Burns,John Eisenhuth,Premala Sureshkumar

doi:10.1186/s13047-020-00394-z

Marnee J Mckay, Elizabeth J Nightingale + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-020-00394-z

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Abstract

BackgroundFoot muscle weakness can produce foot deformity, pain and disability. Toe flexor and foot arch exercises focused on intrinsic foot muscle strength and functional control may mitigate the progression of foot deformity and disability. Ensuring correct exercise technique is challenging due to the specificity of muscle activation required to complete some foot exercises. Biofeedback has been used to improve adherence, muscle activity and movement patterns. We investigated the feasibility of using a novel medical device, known as “Archercise”, to provide real-time biofeedback of correct arch movement via pressure change in an inflatable bladder, and foot location adherence via sensors embedded in a footplate during four-foot exercises.MethodsThirty adults (63% female, aged 23–68 years) performed four-foot exercises twice on the Archercise sensor footplate alone and then with biofeedback. One-way repeated measures ANOVA with pairwise comparisons were computed to assess the consistency of the exercise protocol between trial 1 and trial 2 (prior to biofeedback), and the effectiveness of the Archercise biofeedback device between trial 2 and trial 3 (with biofeedback). Outcome measures were: Arch movement exercises of arch elevation and lowering speed, controlled arch elevation, controlled arch lowering, endurance of arch elevation; Foot location adherence was determined by percentage of time the great toe, fifth toe and heel contacted footplate sensors during testing and were analysed with paired sample t-tests. Participant survey comments on the use of Archercise with biofeedback were reported thematically.ResultsSeventeen (89%) arch movement and foot location variables were collected consistently with Archercise during the foot exercises. Archercise with biofeedback improved foot location adherence for all exercises (p = 0.003–0.008), coefficient of determination for controlled arch elevation (p < 0.0001) and endurance area ratio (p = 0.001). Twenty-nine (97%) participants reported Archercise with biofeedback, helped correct exercise performance.ConclusionsArchercise is a feasible biofeedback device to assist healthy participants without foot pathologies perform foot doming exercises.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): 12616001559404. Registered 11 November 2016, http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12616001559404p.aspx

Highlights

Foot muscle weakness can produce foot deformity, pain and disability
Toe flexor and foot arch exercises focused on maintaining intrinsic foot muscle strength and functional control [10] may mitigate the progression of foot deformity such as hallux valgus [11]
The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using Archercise to provide biofeedback of correct arch movement and foot location during four foot exercises

Summary

Introduction

Toe flexor and foot arch exercises focused on intrinsic foot muscle strength and functional control may mitigate the progression of foot deformity and disability. Toe flexor and foot arch exercises focused on maintaining intrinsic foot muscle strength and functional control [10] may mitigate the progression of foot deformity such as hallux valgus [11]. Slowing the development of disabling and painful deformities by addressing foot muscle weakness may limit functional impairments and improve quality of life [8, 12, 13]. Even though toe flexor and foot arch exercises are routinely prescribed to improve foot muscle strength, maintaining adherence to exercise is challenging [17] thereby limiting it impact on health outcomes [18]

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